Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention in North America, takes over downtown Indianapolis from Thursday, July 30 through Sunday, August 2, 2026. Known as "The Best Four Days in Gaming," Gen Con transforms the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, and surrounding hotels into a sprawling celebration of board games, role-playing games, miniatures, and — increasingly important for collectors — trading card games. With tens of thousands of attendees from around the world, it is a bucket-list event for anyone serious about the hobby.
While Gen Con is famous for tabletop and RPG play, the exhibit hall and event schedule are a goldmine for trading card game fans. Major publishers and hundreds of vendors fill the massive hall, and you will find dedicated play, sales, and tournament activity for Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece Card Game, Disney Lorcana, Flesh and Blood, Star Wars Unlimited, Digimon, and Dragon Ball Super. Dealers stock singles, sealed product, vintage, graded slabs, and hard-to-find imports, while artists and accessory makers offer playmats, deck boxes, sleeves, custom tokens, and original artwork. Organized play runs nearly around the clock, with learn-to-play sessions for newcomers and competitive tournaments for veterans.
Gen Con runs four full days with extended hours. The exhibit hall is typically open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT, while ticketed events, tournaments, and late-night gaming run well into the evening across the convention center and connected hotels. Because the schedule is enormous, attendees plan ahead using the official event catalog and the Gen Con mobile app.
Admission is by badge. Gen Con sells four-day badges as well as single-day badges, with prices announced each year and badges going on sale in early February — they frequently sell out, so buying early is essential. Children's badges are available at a reduced rate, and kids under a certain age are often free with a badged adult; check the official site for current pricing and family policies. Many ticketed events carry an additional generic-ticket cost on top of the badge.
The Indiana Convention Center is located at 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46225, in the heart of downtown and connected by skywalk to numerous hotels, Lucas Oil Stadium, and the Circle Centre area. Downtown parking garages, ride-share, and the convention's hotel block all serve attendees, though downtown fills up fast during Gen Con weekend, so booking lodging and parking well in advance is strongly advised. Hundreds of restaurants are within walking distance.
Gen Con suits everyone from first-time gamers to hardcore competitors and collectors. TCG players come for premier-level tournaments, exclusive promos, and the chance to buy singles and sealed product from a huge concentration of dealers in one place. Families enjoy the kids' programming and open gaming, and collectors hunt convention exclusives and artist alley treasures.
For the best experience, buy your badge and book your hotel the moment they go on sale, build your event schedule early through the catalog, and bring a rolling bag plus cash and cards for the exhibit hall. Arrive at hall opening for the freshest dealer stock and limited exclusives. Follow Gen Con on social media and check gencon.com for the full 2026 schedule.